Combined air starter and compressor.



E. E. GRAY.

COMBINED AIR STARTER AND COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2|. 1914.

- 1,201,087; Patented Oct. 10,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

. E. E. GRAY.

COMBINED AIR swam AND COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. l9l4.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

JZZ/HZW E. E. GRAY. comsmen AIR STARTER AND COMPRESSOR.

' APPLICATION FILED MAR- 21 I914. 120L037, Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3. j] EyMW/Ji #vmnf E. E. GRAY. COMBINED AIR STARTER AND COMPRESSOR APPLICATION FILED MAR-21.1914- Patented Oct. 10,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

E. E. GRAY.

COMBINED AIR STARTER AND COMP RESSOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 1914.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

as Parr Enron EDWARD E. GRAY, or PLANO, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED AIR STARTER AND COMPRESSOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 10, 1916.

Application filed March 21, 1914. Serial No. 826,164.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD E. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plano, in the county of Kendall and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Air Starters and Compressors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in connection with air compressors and starting devices for use in connection with motors mounted upon vehicles, aeroplanes, or the like, one of the objects being to provide improved means whereby an auxiliary or independent engine or motor may operate directly upon the main shaft of the engine to be started, receiving its power from an air reservoir instead of as has been the more usual practice in the past, to employ the motive power fluid to act directly upon the pistons of the main engine.

Another object of my invention is to provide a compact and efficient combination apparatus whereby the compressing and starting can be effected through one unitary device or piece of apparatus which can be conveniently mounted upon the frame work or other part of the motor vehicle.

For the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts generally shown in the accom panying drawings and described in the specification but more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a combined starter and air compressor constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional view; Fig. 4 is an elevation of one of the cylinder trunnion valves; Fig. 5 is a view looking at the left-hand of the valve shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view; Fig. 7 is a sectional view through the cylinders of the starter; Fig. 8-is aview, partly in section, showing the air passages for the drawings, a casing 1 is provided formed with a portion to contain a pair of oscillatable cylinders 2 each mounted upon a valved trunnion 3, and with another portion to contain a driving gear 4 freely mounted on an engine shaft 5 or an extension thereof, and connected to theshaft by means of a one-way clutch designated generally by the reference numeral 6.

Secured to the casing 2 forming a cover for that portion of the casing 2 in which the gear 4 is contained is another casing 7 "in which is contained the compressor mechanism comprising compressor cylinders 8 formed with cooling flanges anddisposed on opposite sides of the shaft 5, which also ex-' tends forwardly into the compressor casing.

Each of the valved trunnions 3 comprises a member with slots 9 extending through the bearing portion thereof, and with a beveled portion 10 in which are recesses 11 and 12 communicating with the slots 9 by means of longitudinal bores 18 formed by drilling the trunnion from the end opposite the beveled portion and plugging the bores at the end from which they are drilled.

Eachcylinder 2 is provided with a passage 14 communicating with one end of the cylinder and with another passage 15 communicating with the other end of the cylinder, the passages forming the inlet and outlets for fluid from the valved trunnion 3. It should be understood that the trunnion 3 is adj ustably threaded in the casing and that the cylinder oscillates upon it to efieot the valve changes for its passageways 14 and 15.

Secured in the outer end of each cylinder 2 is a perforated plug 16 through which a piston rod 17 connected to the piston 18 is movable. Both of the piston rods 17 are connected to a crank pin 19 mounted on a 1 weighted crank 20 which is secured to or formed integral with a stud shaft 21 having a removable bearing 22 for mounting it in the casing l and carrying a pinion 28 which meshes with the driving gear 4.

In the rear of the casing 1, as shown more clearly in Fig. 8, are passages 24 and 25 of each valved trunnion are placed in com munication with these passageways, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, and the trunnion itself may be adjusted in its beveled seat by means of a nut 29 at the rear of the casing 1, shown more clearly in Fig. 6, the other end of each trunnion being seated in a recess 30 in the opposite inside portion of the casing. An ordinary one-way clutch, as shown more clearly in Fig. 9, is adapted to connect the motor shaft 5 with the driving gear 4 so that when the starter is in operation a driving connection will be made between it and the engine shaft through the intermediary of the pinion 23, the gear 4 and the one-way clutch, but as soon as the main engine is Workingpositively under its own impulses it may free itself by over-running the clutch in the well known manner.

Connected to. that portion of the casing 1 which partially incloses the gear 4 is a pipe 31 which forms communication with a crank case 32 ofthe motor to which the device is An air formed with a slot 34 through which the shaft 5 extends. Mounted on the shaft 5, preferably at right angles to the other slot 34, is an eccentric 36 and surrounding the eccentric is a two-piece eccentric collar 37 connected by means of a pivot 38' to the compressor plunger 33, so that the rotation of the shaft. 5 effects the continuous oscillation of the plunger 33.

Communication is made between the compressor cylinders 8 and the chamber in which. the gear 4 is located by means of a number of perforations 39 adjacent, the inner end of each of the compressor cylinders, as shown more clearly in Figs. 6 and 11, so that when the plunger is at one end of its stroke air from the chamber of the gear 4 will rush in to the, compressor cylinder because of a vacuum createdtherein by the plunger. A cap 40 is provided for. the outside end of each compressor cylinder in which is. located a pressure valve 41, and communicating therewith is a passage 42. The compressor casing 7 is provided with a passage 43 extending from the heads of both of the compressor cylinders to a central point where communication is made through a passage44 in an extension of the casing l to which a pipe 45 is connected.

This pipe 45 is the pressure line of the compressor and extends to a reservoir (not shown) or to some device which uses the air under pressure.

The casing in which the trunnions are mounted forms a completely inclosed space within which the cylinders may oscillate and the crank shaft may work, the lower por tion of the casing forming a reservoir or oil bath in which the crank and connecting rods may work. By arranging the oscillating cylinders at an angle to each other slightly greater than a right angle it is obvious that a dead'center may be avoided.

In operation air or fluid under pressure is simply admitted to the inlet for the air starter whereupon the gear 4 is rotated and connected by means of the clutch to the engine shaft 5 to rotate the main engine until the speed of the main engine shaft exceeds that of the starting member of the clutch due to the ordinary impulses of the main engine, or until it is started, whereupon the inlet to the starting motor may be cut off. The compressor operates constantly to. replenish the fluid. under pressure for the purpose of forming a supply for the starting motor or for any other fluid pressure device which may be employed.

hat I claim is: l

1. A combined air starter and compressor supplementing and completing the other.

and both in conjunction forming a complete inclosure.

2. A combined air starter and compressor comprising a starter casing with a recessed containing portion, and a compressor casing adapted to cover the recess, the adjacent portion. of the starter casing completing the compressor casing.

3. A combined air starter and compressor comprising suitable casings for the starter and compressor, each supplementing and completing the other and together forming a complete inclosure, and a motor shaft extending through the casings.

4. A combined air starter and compressor comprising suitable casings, one for the starter and one for the compressor, each supplementing and completing the other, the compressor casing being formed with a pressure passage and the starter casing being formed with an outlet passage communicating with the passage in the compressor casing.

5.. A combined air starter and compressor comprising suitable casings for the starter and for the compressor, the starter casing being formed with a recessed containing portion with an air inlet thereto, and a compressor casing adapted to cover the recess and having compressor cylinders with perforations therein communicating with the recessed portion of the starter casing, each casing supplementing and completing the other.

6. A combined air starter and compressor comprising a starter casing with a recessed containing portion having an air inlet there to and a passage-way outside of the recessed portion, and a compressor casing adapted to cover the recess and formed with compressor cylinders therein and a passage-way from both of the cylinders communicating with the passageway in the starter casing, each casing supplementing and completing the other.

7. A combined air starter and compressor comprising astarter casing formed with a recess in one face thereof and a passage extending outside of the recess from the outer face of the casing to the rear thereof, a compressor casing adapted to cover the recess with passages communicating with the said passage in the starter casing, a shaft extending through the starter casing and into the compressor casing, a gear freely mounted on the shaft in the said recess, releasable means to connect the gear to the shaft, and a motor in the starter casing connected with the said gear for operating it.

8. A combined air starter and compressor comprising a starter casing formed with a recessed containing portion opening from the front face thereof and with a passage leading from the front face around the outside of the recess to the rear thereof and with other passages at the rear of the casing terminating in beveled holes extending through the side of the casing, valved trunnions each having a beveled portion with recesses communicating with the passages which lead to the holes, oscillating cylinders with passages therein leading to opposite ends of the cylinder pivotally mounted on the trunnions and adapted to make connections with the valve openings in the trunnions, pistons movable int-he cylinders, a crank to which the pistons are connected and a pinion rotated by the crank, a shaft extending through the starter casing, a gear mounted on the shaft and meshing with the pinion, a releasable connection between the gear and the shaft, and a compressor casing into which the shaft extends adapted to close the recess and having compressor cylinders with passages therefrom communicating with the passage in the starter casing outside of the recess.

9. In adevice of the class described, the combination with a casing formed with passages terminating in a beveled hole through one side of the casing, a valve trunnion with a beveled surface adjustable in the hole having recesses communicating with the said passages and having a cylindrical portion with slots therethrough in communication with the recesses, a fluid pressure device osclllatably mounted on the cylindrical part of the trunnion having a cylinder with passages from opposite ends terminating on opposite sides of the trunnion and making connection one with each of the slots in the trunnion, a perforated cap secured to the outer end of the cylinder, and a piston movable therein having a piston rod extending through the cap member, the oscillation of the cylinder changing the valve relation at each end of the stroke of the piston.

10. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a pair of trunnions having slotted cylindrical portions, admission and discharge passages connected therewith, oscillatable cylinders pivotally 1nounted one upon each trunnion having passages forming communication with each end of the cylinder and extending to opposite sides of the trunnion forming communication with different slots, pistons movable in the cylinder with piston rods extending from the free end thereof, a common crank pin to which both piston rods are connected, the connection being such that the cylinders are disposed at an angle greater than the right angle to each other, a crank to which the crank pin is connected, and rotary driving means to which the crank is connected, the operation of the pistons in the cylinders causing them to oscillate about their trunnions and the oscillation thereof efiecting the valve changes producing a continuously operating member without a dead-center.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing having a beveled hole therethrough, of passages leading to said hole, a valve trunnion with a beveled surface corresponding to the beveled hole and with a threaded portion at the smaller end of the bevel and a cylindrical portion at the larger end of the bevel with slots therethrough and with recesses in the beveled portion communicating with the slots, the recesses in the beveled portion registering with the passages in the casing, a cylinder oscillatable upon the cylindrical portion of the trunnion having passage-ways adapted to register with the slots in the trunnion, and an adjusting nut on the outside of the casing movable on the threaded portion of the trunnion to hold it,adjustably in position in the beveled hole.

12. A combined air starter and compressor comprising separable casings each supplementing and completing the other, a compressor casing being formed with opposite cylindrical portions, a shaft extending through the casings, and between the said cylindrical portions, a single plunger having a slot in the center and of a length to extend from the outer end of one of said cylinders to the inner end of the other, an eccentric connected to the shaft, an eccentric collar movable on the eccentric and pivotally connected to the plunger whereby the rotation of the shaft Will effect the oscillation of the plunger, and the starter casing having air passages therein for the compressor cylinders.

13. A combined air starter and compressor comprising separable casings each supplementing and completing the other, the compressor casing having positively disposed cylindrical portions and passages extending from the outer ends of the Cylinders to a common point, a spring-pressed valve in each passage, a plunger movable simultaneously out of one cylinder and into the other, a shaft extending through the casings at right angles to the cylinders, means connecting the shaft With the plunger for oscillating it, and the starter casing having an air passage communicating With the passages of the compressor casing at the common point.

14. A combined air starter and compressor comprising separable casings each supplementing and completing the other, the compressor casing being formed With opposite cylindrical portions With a passage extending from the outer end of each cylinder to a common point and With perforations through the Wall of the casing at the inner plunger for oscillating it, the starter casing r having separate air passages Which communicate With the passages from the ends of the cylinder and With the perforations through the Wall of the compressor casing at the inner end of the said cylindrical portions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses, on this 13th day of March A. D. 1914.

EDlVAR-D E. GRAY.

Witnesses KENT V. WVoNNnLL, ALLENA OFFUTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

, Washington, D. C. 

